0:00:03 > 0:00:05GLORIA HUNNIFORD: We asked you to tell us what's left you
0:00:05 > 0:00:08feeling ripped off, and you contacted us in your thousands.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11ANGELA RIPPON: You've told us about the companies you think get it wrong
0:00:11 > 0:00:13and the customer service that simply is not up to scratch.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17I've complained and complained and nobody takes any notice of me.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21In all honesty, I think it's just a way for the shops to make more money.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24JULIA SOMERVILLE: You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole
0:00:24 > 0:00:27your money and investigate the extra charges you say are unfair.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29You don't want to spend any more,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32but yet, they are always trying to offer you little things extra.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35And when you've lost out, but nobody else is to blame,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39I rang up the company and they went,
0:00:39 > 0:00:41"Oh, it isn't our fault." So whose fault is it?
0:00:41 > 0:00:45So, whether it's a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake...
0:00:45 > 0:00:47We're here to find out why you're out of pocket
0:00:47 > 0:00:49and what you can do about it.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain, where today,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02we have one of the most genuinely shocking cases
0:01:02 > 0:01:04that we've ever featured on this programme.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07And I'm afraid it's left the couple at the heart of it all
0:01:07 > 0:01:09with absolutely nothing to show
0:01:09 > 0:01:12for the hundreds of thousands of pounds that they ploughed
0:01:12 > 0:01:13into their dream home.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16And while our other stories today don't have quite
0:01:16 > 0:01:20the same dramatic impact as that particular tale,
0:01:20 > 0:01:24they are all decidedly in the same nerve-racking territory,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27and that is there the problems and pitfalls that go hand-in-hand
0:01:27 > 0:01:30with the biggest purchase that any of us is ever likely
0:01:30 > 0:01:31to make in our lifetimes.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33That's purchasing our homes.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Now, whether you're buying a brand-new property
0:01:36 > 0:01:38or completely renovating an old one,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41choosing who you can trust to build, convert
0:01:41 > 0:01:44or even just fix up your home can be a real minefield.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46And as we're going to see, when things don't go to plan,
0:01:46 > 0:01:50it may not be as easy as it should be to get the whole thing resolved.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Coming up, the builders booked to convert a basement,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59but instead cause the entire house to collapse to the ground.
0:01:59 > 0:02:00I just think we were in shock.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Watching it unfold, we all just had to stand on the street and
0:02:04 > 0:02:06watch it sort of disintegrate.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11And brand-new homes with a catalogue of basic errors.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14The roof, in essence, we've had replaced three times now.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16I've been without a garden for 12 weeks.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Discovered that the wall was damp outside.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Now, everyone knows that, if you're planning work on your home,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28then choosing the right builder is crucial.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Well, never was that truer than for the family in our next film.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Their case is so jaw-dropping that
0:02:35 > 0:02:38we've genuinely never come across anything like it before.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42The situation is made all the worse because they did everything right
0:02:42 > 0:02:44when they first picked the company to do the job.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46But that didn't stop them from losing
0:02:46 > 0:02:50not just hundreds of thousands of pounds, but their home as well.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Here's a typical North London house before...
0:02:56 > 0:02:58and after the builders started work.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Yes, the entire property has collapsed.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05We're paying a mortgage on a hole in the ground at the moment.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07It's just the injustice here.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10The builder can get away with this sort of thing
0:03:10 > 0:03:13and keep on trading, has not had to pay a penny.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18'Jacquie Hale and her partner Ed have been living here
0:03:18 > 0:03:22'in rented accommodation since their home fell into the ground in 2012.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26'They'd bought the lease on their North London ground-floor flat
0:03:26 > 0:03:28'a year earlier and, with plans to extend their family,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32'they soon spotted that they could do the same with their property too
0:03:32 > 0:03:33'by converting the basement.'
0:03:34 > 0:03:37We found this place and it seemed ideal.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40It had potential for development to make it into a family home.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45It was actually right next door to a family friend who had...
0:03:45 > 0:03:48It was the identical property and he had a basement conversion
0:03:48 > 0:03:50and it sort of made up our minds.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54'Little did they know that, once they'd moved in,
0:03:54 > 0:03:55'it wasn't just their dreams
0:03:55 > 0:03:58'that would come crashing down around them.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01'With the necessary permissions in place, they set about
0:04:01 > 0:04:04'finding a builder they could trust with such an important project.'
0:04:04 > 0:04:07This seemed like a very tricky job.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12That's why I went through what I thought were all the checks we could
0:04:12 > 0:04:14possibly do to find the right one.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18'First, the couple went to the trade association
0:04:18 > 0:04:21'that represents some of the most qualified builders in the business.'
0:04:21 > 0:04:26We found the builder through the Federation of Master Builders website.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31We put a job specification onto the site and that allowed numerous
0:04:31 > 0:04:35different builders to reply and we had responses
0:04:35 > 0:04:37from probably five or six people.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42'While builders don't have to join a trade association,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45'the Federation of Master Builders vets its members,
0:04:45 > 0:04:47'which gave Jacquie the confidence
0:04:47 > 0:04:49'that she'd end up with the right company for the job.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54'And she thought that's what she'd got when she plumped for local firm
0:04:54 > 0:04:56'AIMs Plumbing and Building Services -
0:04:56 > 0:05:00'not to be confused with other companies with similar names.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03'By now, Jacquie was expecting the first of their two children,
0:05:03 > 0:05:07'so she and Ed were keen to get on with the project.'
0:05:07 > 0:05:10The fact that you were pregnant, I presume time was of the essence.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Yes. My first baby was due in January.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17And he was meant to be finishing the work by December.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20That wasn't our only decision to hire him, of course,
0:05:20 > 0:05:21but it certainly helped.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26'The company's owner Christopher Knott quoted
0:05:26 > 0:05:28'just over ?38,000 for the job
0:05:28 > 0:05:32'and put Jacquie in touch with satisfied customers for a reference.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35'But Jacquie's checks didn't stop there.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38'She also asked to see the firm's insurance documents to make sure
0:05:38 > 0:05:42'they'd be properly protected if anything would go wrong with
0:05:42 > 0:05:46'the delicate task of underpinning the foundations of the house.'
0:05:46 > 0:05:48It didn't seem like he was covered for the work,
0:05:48 > 0:05:54so I explained this to him and made him take out a new policy,
0:05:54 > 0:05:59which he did, and then I actually phoned the company and asked,
0:05:59 > 0:06:00were he to take on this sort of job,
0:06:00 > 0:06:02would he be covered? And they said yes.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04'With Jacquie feeling that
0:06:04 > 0:06:07'she'd done all she could to prepare for any eventuality,
0:06:07 > 0:06:12'work began in September 2012 and was expected to last three months,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15'but, one morning eight weeks later, Jacquie and Ed woke up
0:06:15 > 0:06:18'to see a large crack in their bedroom wall.'
0:06:18 > 0:06:22It was wide enough to see through to the outside,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24and we called the builder.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26He came and had a look.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29He seemed a little bit worried,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33but still didn't give us any indication that it was very serious.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36'The builder tried to support the wall by bracing it
0:06:36 > 0:06:39'against the house next door, but that temporary fix didn't stop
0:06:39 > 0:06:43'other cracks also starting to appear further up the house.'
0:06:43 > 0:06:47The tenants who were living in the upstairs flat came and knocked
0:06:47 > 0:06:50on the door and asked us to come and have a look at their flat,
0:06:50 > 0:06:54because the cracks were getting quite large there.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57I was only up there for maybe 30 seconds or a minute,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59and then I came back down to our flat
0:06:59 > 0:07:00and the same cracks were appearing.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04'That's when Jacquie and her neighbours realised
0:07:04 > 0:07:06'they shouldn't be inside any longer.'
0:07:06 > 0:07:09They were appearing in front of your eyes, were they?
0:07:09 > 0:07:13In front of our eyes. It was like being in a disaster movie,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15when the house...
0:07:15 > 0:07:17There's an earthquake or something happening
0:07:17 > 0:07:19and the house just disintegrates.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24'Jacquie called the emergency services, who, realising the danger,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27'quickly evacuated the neighbouring properties too.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29'As the couple and their neighbours looked on,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33'the walls of their house started to come away from the one next door
0:07:33 > 0:07:37'and, over the next few hours, their home slowly fell into the ground.'
0:07:38 > 0:07:42I just think we were in shock, all of us probably in shock, just...
0:07:42 > 0:07:44watching it unfold.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48We all just had to stand on the street and watch...
0:07:48 > 0:07:50watch it sort of disintegrate.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55And when the builder arrived at the scene, he didn't hang around.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59Where was the builder? When we called him and he came, had a look,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02saw emergency services and just ran off again.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04He ran off? Yeah.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07He just disappeared. Did he say anything to you?
0:08:07 > 0:08:08No.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10No. I think, at that point,
0:08:10 > 0:08:13he was probably in as much shock as we were.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15We didn't know at the very beginning
0:08:15 > 0:08:17that it was definitely the builder's fault.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22'Not only was their home gone, but most of their possessions were too.'
0:08:22 > 0:08:24We lost everything.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26It was just taken away in skips as we were watching.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29There was no way to retrieve it. We weren't allowed back in.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33'The family moved in with Ed's sister while they attempted
0:08:33 > 0:08:35'to sort out the devastating mess.'
0:08:35 > 0:08:41How did you set about just trying to find out who was at fault?
0:08:41 > 0:08:45Immediately, we had to notify the insurance companies that this had
0:08:45 > 0:08:52happened. We had to find a solicitor and we had to find an engineer who
0:08:52 > 0:08:57could examine the site to determine what had actually happened.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00'The structural engineer's report
0:09:00 > 0:09:03'indicated that it was the builder's work that was to blame,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06'as the house simply hadn't been propped up properly.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10'So, while Jacquie and Ed's own insurance covered the contents
0:09:10 > 0:09:14'they'd lost inside the house, they expected the builder's insurance
0:09:14 > 0:09:17'would foot the bill for the building itself.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19'But with the total damage to the property
0:09:19 > 0:09:22'running to not far off ?300,000,
0:09:22 > 0:09:25'the insurers didn't seem keen to do that.'
0:09:25 > 0:09:30The builder's insurer did not engage with us at all,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33refused to acknowledge our communications.
0:09:35 > 0:09:36'After getting nowhere,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40'Jacquie and Ed felt their only option was to go to court.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43'And when the case was heard in 2015,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46'the judge ruled that the building firm was at fault and, as such,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48'it was ordered to pay for the repairs.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52That should have been an end to it,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55'but in fact, the firm's insurer refused to pay,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58'citing various reasons why it claimed the building company
0:09:58 > 0:10:00'had broken the terms of its cover.'
0:10:02 > 0:10:04Where has the judgment left you now?
0:10:04 > 0:10:08We're really no further forward than we were the day it collapsed,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12so we know we weren't at fault, we know who was at fault,
0:10:12 > 0:10:17but, financially, we are in the same position - actually worse off
0:10:17 > 0:10:19than we were when it first happened.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22'The couple still hope they may be able to convince
0:10:22 > 0:10:25'the builder's insurer to pay out, but months have passed
0:10:25 > 0:10:28'with no progress in that direction and it's not as if they can pursue
0:10:28 > 0:10:31'the building company itself any more,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35'because AIMs Plumbing and Building Services has gone out of business.'
0:10:35 > 0:10:37How did that make you feel?
0:10:37 > 0:10:41We were disappointed, because we knew that meant he was off the hook.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43'The man behind AIMs Plumbing and Building Services,
0:10:43 > 0:10:46'Christopher Knott, set up a new company,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48'AIMs Building and Maintenance Services,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51'within weeks of the house falling down.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54'In the years since, that too has ceased trading
0:10:54 > 0:10:58'and he is now director of another building firm in the same area.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01'But because all these were limited companies,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04'he has no personal liability for what happened.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07'Meanwhile, the ones losing out are Jacquie and Ed,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11'who are stuck with 23 years of repayments on a home
0:11:11 > 0:11:14'they can't even live in and that can't be rebuilt
0:11:14 > 0:11:17'until there's an agreement on who's going to pay for it.'
0:11:17 > 0:11:21What really upsets the couple is that they thought they'd followed
0:11:21 > 0:11:24all the recommendations for finding the right builder.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28Now, they find themselves paying out for a mortgage on a home
0:11:28 > 0:11:31that no longer exists. It's basically just a hole in the ground.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Well, when we contacted the building firm's insurers,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38a company called Covea,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41it told us it sympathises with Jacquie and Ed's situation,
0:11:41 > 0:11:45but for legal reasons can't comment on the case in too much detail.
0:11:45 > 0:11:50It did however say that it had gone beyond its obligations in trying to
0:11:50 > 0:11:51find a solution and that it is
0:11:51 > 0:11:56actively supporting negotiations to help reach a conclusion.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59We also, of course, contacted the builder, Christopher Knott,
0:11:59 > 0:12:00but he didn't reply.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06As Jacquie and Ed only owned the lease on their home,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08it was the freeholders' insurance that would normally
0:12:08 > 0:12:12cover the building, but it seems that particular policy didn't extend
0:12:12 > 0:12:16to covering the property's collapse if the cause was building work.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Jacquie and Ed had been aware of that,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21but, of course, believed they would be protected
0:12:21 > 0:12:24by the extra cover they'd got the builder to take out.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27So if you're planning an extension or major works,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30perhaps the best advice is to consider taking out
0:12:30 > 0:12:34your own insurance for the job, rather than relying on the builders'
0:12:34 > 0:12:36because, however good their policy may seem,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39you've no control over whether they stick to the terms.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44'But while Jacquie and Ed's case rumbles on,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48'it's hard to understand how the whole thing could have come about,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50'considering they'd employed a paid-up member
0:12:50 > 0:12:52'of the Federation of Master builders.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56'Brian Berry is the Federation's Chief Executive and he maintains
0:12:56 > 0:12:59'that stories like Jacquie and Ed's are extremely rare.'
0:12:59 > 0:13:02This is a very sad case, but it's also unique.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06When this came to light, we suspended the company immediately
0:13:06 > 0:13:09and then we asked the company to come before
0:13:09 > 0:13:13a national standards and conduct committee. They reviewed the case
0:13:13 > 0:13:16and they agreed that, actually, the member company should be expelled.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20And that company will never come back into the FMB again.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23If things go wrong between a builder and a client,
0:13:23 > 0:13:25does your association intervene?
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Does it have a process for reconciling the two?
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Yes, we do have a process of, if a client has a problem
0:13:31 > 0:13:34with one of our members, they can contact us.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36In most cases, builders want to do a good job
0:13:36 > 0:13:39and they're very keen to go back and rectify it.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44Now, if the problem continues, we offer a dispute resolution process.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Both sides have to agree and then
0:13:46 > 0:13:50there will be an independent adjudicator to look at the problem.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53'But none of that's been much help to Jacquie, who'd assumed that,
0:13:53 > 0:13:57'by choosing a member of the FMB, she would be in safe hands.'
0:13:57 > 0:13:58So, in a funny kind of way,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02if you expel somebody, you leave them outside your remit
0:14:02 > 0:14:06and therefore, in a way, there's less protection for the client.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Yes, unfortunately, that is the case.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12The company can continue to operate, change their name,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15and the consumer then is not actually protected.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19This is an ongoing self-regulation, because the government has said,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21actually, it doesn't want to commit
0:14:21 > 0:14:25to any former licensing or regulation of builders.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29'All of which means Jacquie is still lumbered with a huge mortgage
0:14:29 > 0:14:32'and a huge hole where her family home used to be.'
0:14:34 > 0:14:36We've tried everything we can.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38The legal channels we've been following
0:14:38 > 0:14:40have so far come to dead ends.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43We've got about ?125,000 left to pay.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48There's just, um... There's not a lot else we can do, really.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50'It's a desperately sad situation
0:14:50 > 0:14:53'and we'll be watching for further developments.'
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Now, we get a steady stream of e-mails and letters from viewers
0:15:02 > 0:15:04who bought a brand-new home from a developer,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06but say they haven't got what they paid for.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10Sometimes, it's because the list of unfinished snags
0:15:10 > 0:15:12runs for pages and pages or, in some cases,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15there's something seriously wrong with the building itself.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Either way, the buyer wants it fixed
0:15:18 > 0:15:21and, when that's not happening fast enough, they end up coming to us.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23But where do you draw the line?
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Even after you've spent hundreds of thousands of pounds,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30there's not always agreement on what the developer should put right
0:15:30 > 0:15:32and what the homeowner should just put up with.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Every new home is likely to have the odd snag here and there,
0:15:41 > 0:15:43but at this development near Hemel Hempstead,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46the problems some owners face with their brand-new properties
0:15:46 > 0:15:48are rather more fundamental.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54The roof, in essence, we've had replaced three times now.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56I've been without a garden for 12 weeks.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58I discovered the wall was damp outside.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04'And the problems at Gavin Jones' new family home are so bad,
0:16:04 > 0:16:08'the builders have been forced to go back to the drawing board.'
0:16:08 > 0:16:11We had water building around our property.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14We needed basically to lower the entire ground level
0:16:14 > 0:16:15and put new drainage in.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21'Built by Crest Nicholson in 2014, the development should have provided
0:16:21 > 0:16:25'families like Gavin's with hassle-free new homes.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28'After all, that's one of the main reasons for buying a new-build home,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31'rather than an older one that might need updating.'
0:16:32 > 0:16:35I didn't want to do any building work or anything like that
0:16:35 > 0:16:37to an older home, so we approached the developer.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41Obviously, put the reservation down and agreed the purchase price.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44And then about, literally only about a month or two later,
0:16:44 > 0:16:45we moved into the new home.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49'Gavin did anticipate there'd be a few things
0:16:49 > 0:16:50'that would need to be put right.'
0:16:50 > 0:16:54I did a snag list of all the really minor things you would expect.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56They were relatively quick fixes and, to be honest,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59they were reasonably quick to pick up on the first few of those,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01so I was quite pleased.
0:17:01 > 0:17:02'But he'd never have imagined
0:17:02 > 0:17:05'there'd be other problems that were more serious.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09'The gardens behind Gavin's house are much higher than his,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12'so retaining walls were built to support the earth.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15'Gavin soon noticed they were bowing under the pressure, so,
0:17:15 > 0:17:19'worried about his family's safety, he contacted Crest Nicholson,
0:17:19 > 0:17:21'who came to fix the problem.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23'But the garden wall wasn't the only problem.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25'There was a big issue inside, too.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28'Gavin's kitchen ceiling was damp.'
0:17:28 > 0:17:29I took a good look at the flat roof
0:17:29 > 0:17:32and, instead of having a small slope, obviously,
0:17:32 > 0:17:34to get rid of the water, ours was completely flat.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37That water was coming through the ceilings.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42'The only solution was to install a completely new roof,
0:17:42 > 0:17:46'but, though the developer did that, it too developed the same problem.'
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Quite astonishingly, that roof did exactly the same thing.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54They hadn't changed the design, so it pooled again, we had more leaks.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56'In fact, over the next 14 months,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59'the problem with the roof had to be repaired again and again.'
0:18:00 > 0:18:02How many roofs was that?
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Four roofs in the end. We've now had four altogether.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Goodness. And you can imagine the scaffolding goes up with each one.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10We lose the garden and access for literally months on end
0:18:10 > 0:18:12as they're doing the works.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15'And as if that wasn't bad enough,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18'the correct drainage hadn't been installed in Gavin's garden,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22'leading to rainwater pooling round the outside walls of the house.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26'To fix that, tonnes of earth had to be removed from the back garden
0:18:26 > 0:18:27'and new drainage installed.'
0:18:29 > 0:18:31We asked surveyor and property expert Roger Southam
0:18:31 > 0:18:33to take a good look at the property
0:18:33 > 0:18:37and he soon finds plenty of things he doesn't like.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39The most obvious thing is the air bricks,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41where there just weren't enough around the house.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43There should've been eight, there was only three.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45And even now, there's an X marked on a brick
0:18:45 > 0:18:47where they physically can't put an air brick in,
0:18:47 > 0:18:51because of a drain that's behind that should've been in there.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54And he's not at all impressed by all those problems with the roof.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58It's had to be replaced to get the water running away
0:18:58 > 0:19:02and not pooling on the structure. All of these things are fairly basic
0:19:02 > 0:19:04and should've been avoided to start with.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09And while it does at last seem the leaking roof has been
0:19:09 > 0:19:13fixed for good, Roger's less certain about that garden wall.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17There were no weep holes put into the retaining wall,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20so there was no way for the water that was going to build up behind
0:19:20 > 0:19:22to actually be released.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Additional work has been carried out and weep holes have been installed,
0:19:25 > 0:19:29but, looking at the wall, it does look as if it's bowing partly to me
0:19:29 > 0:19:31and I still think that needs investigating.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Roger believes the entire wall needs to be rebuilt
0:19:36 > 0:19:38and the ground behind it properly braced.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43But these issues aren't confined to just Gavin's house.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Very similar glitches have plagued other residents, too.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50Indeed, Gavin's next-door neighbour Justin came across his first problem
0:19:50 > 0:19:53with the roof the very moment he and his wife moved in.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57We found our entire roof coping stones
0:19:57 > 0:20:02lying on the grass in front of us and that was the start of issues
0:20:02 > 0:20:05we've had dealt with, um, since we moved in.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10Again, Justin's garden's had no drainage.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Nor was the retaining wall at the back of the garden properly installed.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19And the kitchen roof repeatedly collected water and leaked.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23The roof, in essence, we've had replaced three times now,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26since that first one went up.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30Justin and Gavin's homes back on to their neighbour Luke's.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33It's his garden being held back by that retaining wall,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36so that's where most of the remedial work has taken place.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42You don't expect to deal with this from day one.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45The disparity is between what you're sold of that dream -
0:20:45 > 0:20:48walking into a new-build house, making it nice and easy -
0:20:48 > 0:20:49to the actual reality.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53'Pensioner Alan moved here with his wife in order
0:20:53 > 0:20:58'to enjoy a peaceful retirement, but so far, it's been anything but.'
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Alan, I know you live in an apartment rather than a house,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05but did you encounter similar problems when you moved in?
0:21:05 > 0:21:08After about nine months of moving in,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I discovered a wall was damp outside
0:21:11 > 0:21:15and I phoned up the company in question, they had a look at it
0:21:15 > 0:21:18and said, "I think you're right, there is damp."
0:21:18 > 0:21:20They took some bricks out the wall
0:21:20 > 0:21:24and water poured out from the cavity of the wall.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29'A string of contractors investigated the damp
0:21:29 > 0:21:33'and told Alan they had diagnosed the problem and would sort it out.'
0:21:33 > 0:21:35That was a month ago now.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I'm still waiting. You've got to remember -
0:21:37 > 0:21:39this is a year and a half this has been going on!
0:21:42 > 0:21:43'There are plenty of other residents
0:21:43 > 0:21:46'on the development who've reported problems
0:21:46 > 0:21:49'and, while the developer Crest Nicholson is working to fix them,
0:21:49 > 0:21:53'the homeowners we've met all say it's not happening quickly enough.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00'But like 80% of all new-build properties, the homes here
0:22:00 > 0:22:03'are all covered by a policy called Buildmark
0:22:03 > 0:22:07'from the National House Builders Council, or NHBC.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10'It's taken out by developers to cover any remedial work needed
0:22:10 > 0:22:14'after the buyer moves in for up to ten years
0:22:14 > 0:22:17'and NHBC itself also acts as an intermediary
0:22:17 > 0:22:20'in disputes between the home owner and developer.'
0:22:21 > 0:22:26What about the security that was meant to flow from the NHBC?
0:22:26 > 0:22:31Did that make you feel any better and did it help you in any way?
0:22:31 > 0:22:35For me, personally, that whole side of the experience has been
0:22:35 > 0:22:39a negative one. Um, my understanding from day one
0:22:39 > 0:22:45is that they were there to aid and act as a sort of middleman.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47They would come in, they would make a ruling
0:22:47 > 0:22:51as to whether you had a genuine defect in what you're trying to say.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57NHBC has indeed ruled on a number of complaints residents like Justin
0:22:57 > 0:22:59have made against Crest Nicholson,
0:22:59 > 0:23:02including the retaining wall in the garden.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06But the residents complain that,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09even then, it can take a long time to put the problems right.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13The remedial works to the walls
0:23:13 > 0:23:16was due to run out in November of last year.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20We're here now in June and it still is not completed.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24In their charter, it says, if the developer fails to do the work
0:23:24 > 0:23:27"in a satisfactory and timely manner",
0:23:27 > 0:23:31or some words to that effect, "we will then invoke our policy
0:23:31 > 0:23:34"and take over the job and do the work ourselves."
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Residents say that, while the developer IS doing remedial work,
0:23:38 > 0:23:42it's consistently missing the deadlines set by NHBC,
0:23:42 > 0:23:43'which in turn, they say,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46'isn't putting enough pressure on the developer to sort things out.'
0:23:48 > 0:23:52We had the NHBC involved with this damp wall
0:23:52 > 0:23:55and they gave an ultimatum to the developer
0:23:55 > 0:23:59that, by January the 12th, it has to be completed.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04January 12th came and went. Two weeks after that, nothing happened.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10The NHBC's involvement has ultimately led
0:24:10 > 0:24:13to many of the issues of residents like Gavin being addressed,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16if not as quickly as they'd like or expect.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19'But Roger believes one reason for the delay is simply that
0:24:19 > 0:24:21'the organisation is overburdened.'
0:24:23 > 0:24:27What about the role of the NHBC? Should they be the active people
0:24:27 > 0:24:30who are making the builder do what they should do?
0:24:30 > 0:24:33They are incredibly stretched with the amount of house-building
0:24:33 > 0:24:36that is going on in the country and needs to go on in the country
0:24:36 > 0:24:37with the shortage that there is.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39And is this why it's taken two years
0:24:39 > 0:24:42for all these problems to be put right?
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Typically, it can take that long
0:24:44 > 0:24:46and this is the sad thing for the consumer,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50because, what is an interminable amount of time - cos they're living
0:24:50 > 0:24:53with the problem - from the developer and the contractor's perspective,
0:24:53 > 0:24:55they just see it as normal course of business.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Well, when we contacted the developer, Crest Nicholson,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02about all this, it told us it prides itself
0:25:02 > 0:25:06on delivering the highest quality product and experience
0:25:06 > 0:25:10from construction, to sales and importantly to post-sales support,
0:25:10 > 0:25:11so it's very disappointed that
0:25:11 > 0:25:15what it describes as a small number of residents feel let down.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19It says, on this occasion, it's clear that its service
0:25:19 > 0:25:21and particularly that of its subcontractors
0:25:21 > 0:25:24fell below its usual high standards.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26It's apologised for that,
0:25:26 > 0:25:31but says the majority of issues on site are now fully resolved.
0:25:31 > 0:25:32Acknowledging the delays,
0:25:32 > 0:25:36the developer says it kept residents up to date throughout and worked
0:25:36 > 0:25:39closely with the NHBC and structural engineers
0:25:39 > 0:25:42to investigate concerns with the garden wall.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47Independent experts were also involved in correcting both the wall
0:25:47 > 0:25:50and also the roof issues faced by Gavin and others
0:25:50 > 0:25:54to ensure that the final work was to industry standard.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59Those roof problems, by the way, the company says were due to contractors
0:25:59 > 0:26:03repeatedly failing to deliver an adequate roofing solution.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04As for the NHBC,
0:26:04 > 0:26:08it says it feels a great deal of sympathy for those affected
0:26:08 > 0:26:11and, while it's already providing assistance on the estate,
0:26:11 > 0:26:15it urged anyone else with issues to contact its claims team.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19It pointed out that, over the first two years of its ten-year warranty,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22any defect must be put right by the builder.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Unusual as this situation was, we hear a lot from people
0:26:28 > 0:26:33unhappy with the new homes they've bought from a variety of developers.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36And while it's rare for any new build to be completely perfect,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40it can be hard to know which issues are the responsibility
0:26:40 > 0:26:41of the developer to put right,
0:26:41 > 0:26:44especially if they're not always apparent right away.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Is there a time limit for people
0:26:48 > 0:26:51when they move into houses to make complaints?
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Yeah, it's the first two years is the important period of notification
0:26:55 > 0:26:58and identifying the issues and problems, but, then again,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00you're asking a homeowner to be an expert
0:27:00 > 0:27:02and recognise the deficiencies and the defects
0:27:02 > 0:27:05and realise problems that are ongoing whereas, in reality,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08the checks and balances should be there from the start
0:27:08 > 0:27:11to make sure that isn't necessary and, actually,
0:27:11 > 0:27:13they're getting the product they think they're getting.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16'But while Gavin, Justin and their neighbours
0:27:16 > 0:27:19'should now be able to look forward to enjoying their new homes,
0:27:19 > 0:27:23'they remain unhappy about not just the extent of the problems,
0:27:23 > 0:27:25'but how their complaints were handled.'
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Never once have they said, "We understand there is a problem.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32"Right, we'll get it done as quick as possible." You are always
0:27:32 > 0:27:35made to feel as if you're being given something begrudgingly.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Still to come on Rip-Off Britain, why choosing a trader from a site
0:27:45 > 0:27:49apparently listing only the very best doesn't guarantee
0:27:49 > 0:27:51that you'll get the right result.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55They've made a real mess of it and I'm out of pocket by a lot of money,
0:27:55 > 0:27:57which I cannot afford to lose.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Once again, we've taken Rip-Off Britain out on the road -
0:28:05 > 0:28:08this time to one of the biggest shopping centres in the UK.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13We've been watching you for many, many years
0:28:13 > 0:28:16and you look amazing! Aw, that's kind of you to say so. Thank you.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Booked in to see technology expert David McClelland
0:28:20 > 0:28:23were 82-year-old Charles and his son David.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27They needed advice after having difficulty resolving a problem
0:28:27 > 0:28:28with a brand-new mobile phone.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31Charles and David, father and son,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33tell me about the purchase of this phone.
0:28:33 > 0:28:40I went to Carphone Warehouse to buy a phone and the salesman there said,
0:28:40 > 0:28:41"This is the best one for you."
0:28:41 > 0:28:45And were you by yourself and making the decision by yourself?
0:28:45 > 0:28:48I was on my own. I asked would it cover my area,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51so he said, "Oh, yes, we've got marvellous coverage there."
0:28:51 > 0:28:54When I got home and tried it, I couldn't get anything,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58so I thought I was doing it wrong. And did you never get any coverage?
0:28:58 > 0:29:01I've never had coverage in the house.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03ANGELA: 'But according to Charles and David,
0:29:03 > 0:29:05'it wasn't just the signal that was a problem.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08'There was also the hefty contract that Charles had been sold.'
0:29:08 > 0:29:10We found out quite a substantial amount of money
0:29:10 > 0:29:13was disappearing, well, going from his account.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16'Charles was paying ?60 a month on the new contract,
0:29:16 > 0:29:19'including ?15 a month for insurance
0:29:19 > 0:29:23'that he says he was told at the point-of-sale he would need.'
0:29:23 > 0:29:25Do you know what you were getting for that contract?
0:29:25 > 0:29:29Yes, he was getting basically 10 gigabytes of data.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31That's a lot. That's more than I get. That's what he told me.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34My sister and I went down to the store once we found out
0:29:34 > 0:29:37and asked them, "Is there anything we can do?" They just said, "No, no,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40"the contract is a contract, there is nobody here to talk to you."
0:29:40 > 0:29:43ANGELA: 'David wanted to cancel the contract on the basis
0:29:43 > 0:29:46'that his father was paying far too much for his modest phone use,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49'but he hasn't been able to make much progress.'
0:29:49 > 0:29:53I rang them. She said, "Oh, we can't deal with it, it has to be the people in the store."
0:29:53 > 0:29:55I've written to them, I've got a receipt from the Royal Mail
0:29:55 > 0:29:58saying that they received it. OK. And you've heard nothing since?
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Nothing. It's hard to believe the case, isn't it?
0:30:01 > 0:30:04It's incredibly frustrating and clearly there's something
0:30:04 > 0:30:07that has gone very, very wrong in this transaction,
0:30:07 > 0:30:11yet you can't find anyone who will take your complaint seriously.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13ANGELA: 'In fact, David was so concerned
0:30:13 > 0:30:16'that Charles had ended up with a phone entirely unsuitable
0:30:16 > 0:30:19'for his needs that he got straight onto the case himself,
0:30:19 > 0:30:23'immediately contacting Carphone Warehouse to push for some answers.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26'And, after a few calls, we're delighted to say
0:30:26 > 0:30:29'that he was able to get the whole matter sorted out
0:30:29 > 0:30:31'with an instant result for David and Charles.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33We're in a shopping centre here right now.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37If we walk over to a Carphone Warehouse store,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40I've got a name of somebody here who will resolve this today.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43'And it was good news. Charles was able
0:30:43 > 0:30:46'to get his contract cancelled and a full refund.'
0:30:46 > 0:30:50How do you feel, Charles? Are you happy now? A lot happier. Good.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Just a weight off my shoulders. I'm pleased to hear that.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55And it stops him shouting at me. DAVID LAUGHS
0:30:59 > 0:31:02Now, for many of us, one thing that never, ever seems to get any easier
0:31:02 > 0:31:05is finding the right person to do work on our homes,
0:31:05 > 0:31:08whether, for example, we're after somebody to fix a leaking tap
0:31:08 > 0:31:11or perhaps to build that dream extension.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14So, to help make that nerve-racking decision a little bit easier,
0:31:14 > 0:31:17there's a whole host of websites and organisations promising to
0:31:17 > 0:31:21put you in touch with tradespeople who've apparently been reviewed,
0:31:21 > 0:31:23they've been vetted or even inspected,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26and they'd only be there if they have already made the grade.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28But, you know, we hear from a lot of viewers
0:31:28 > 0:31:30who've discovered to their cost
0:31:30 > 0:31:33that the tradespeople they found from those very same places
0:31:33 > 0:31:35were not in fact up to the job, so we wanted to find out
0:31:35 > 0:31:39how that could possibly happen and whether all those checks
0:31:39 > 0:31:42that we were told were made are all they're cracked up to be.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46Judging from all your e-mails and letters
0:31:46 > 0:31:49and, of course, the case we saw earlier in the programme,
0:31:49 > 0:31:53it's still the most crucial part of having work done on your home,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56so how can you be sure that you've picked the right person to do the job?
0:31:57 > 0:31:59I would ask somebody who I know
0:31:59 > 0:32:02or I would ask a friend if they know a builder.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06Well, we do have a network of friends that, er...know people
0:32:06 > 0:32:11in the building trade or whatever, so we get in touch with them.
0:32:11 > 0:32:16I would ask one or two people that have had work done in their house
0:32:16 > 0:32:18and say, "Is there anyone you could recommend?"
0:32:20 > 0:32:23But when 77-year-old Brian Lambert from Tunbridge Wells
0:32:23 > 0:32:27discovered a leak in his conservatory roof, he wasn't sure
0:32:27 > 0:32:29of the best place to look for someone to fix it
0:32:29 > 0:32:32until he heard the clatter of his letterbox.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36I had a leaflet through the door from a roofing company
0:32:36 > 0:32:41that was recommended by Checkatrade, so I thought
0:32:41 > 0:32:44that it would be a good, reliable company for me to deal with.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50The company's marketing made a big deal of the fact
0:32:50 > 0:32:52that it was listed on Checkatrade,
0:32:52 > 0:32:56which is perhaps the best-known of the various websites set up
0:32:56 > 0:33:00to help us all find a trader we can trust, thanks to its ads on TV.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05AD: 'We check their references, qualifications and insurances.'
0:33:05 > 0:33:07But Brian didn't take the claims
0:33:07 > 0:33:11that had come through his door on face value. He wanted to find out
0:33:11 > 0:33:13what Checkatrade really thought of the builder.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16After all, as well as recommending traders,
0:33:16 > 0:33:18the service says it vets and monitors them as well.
0:33:20 > 0:33:26I phoned Checkatrade to find out if the company was reliable and good
0:33:26 > 0:33:28and Checkatrade said yes.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33So, with that, Brian's next call was to the roofing company itself.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36They popped round, gave him a quote for the job
0:33:36 > 0:33:38and seemed thoroughly professional.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42But I'm afraid those first impressions soon turned sour,
0:33:42 > 0:33:46because, when the workmen left, Brian and his son Shane took a look
0:33:46 > 0:33:49at the roof and were decidedly unimpressed with what they saw.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52When I looked at the job, I could quite easily see that
0:33:52 > 0:33:56it was a substandard job. I felt quite angry.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01Brian had paid almost half of the ?2,500 cost upfront,
0:34:01 > 0:34:05but on seeing the roof, he refused to pay the rest.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09In the end, a total of ?1,500 was agreed with the roofing company,
0:34:09 > 0:34:12although Brian and Shane still think that was just too high.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18They've made a real mess of it and I'm out of pocket by a lot of money,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21which I cannot afford to lose.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24And of course what particularly frustrates Brian is that,
0:34:24 > 0:34:26by choosing a company through Checkatrade,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29he thought he'd would've been able to avoid problems like this.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32I only went to Checkatrade in the first place
0:34:32 > 0:34:36because they seem a very reliable and trusted trade company.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40After this experience, I feel that Checkatrade have let me down badly,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43because the roofers were just not up to the job.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47So Brian and Shane got in touch with Checkatrade,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50which sent an inspector to see the job for himself.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53When he'd had a look, he was quite disgusted with the work that
0:34:53 > 0:34:57they had completed. He estimated the job at being only ?500,
0:34:57 > 0:35:01not the ?2,500 that they wanted to charge my father.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04Big difference. And it was only then Brian and Shane discovered that,
0:35:04 > 0:35:08whilst Checkatrade might indeed check the companies on their site,
0:35:08 > 0:35:11there's very little they can do for customers left unhappy
0:35:11 > 0:35:13if something goes wrong.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15I tried to get some money back for my father,
0:35:15 > 0:35:18but once we'd failed to do that, we were left on our own.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22When we spoke to Checkatrade,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25it apologised to Brian for the substandard work he had received,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28but pointed out that, at the time, the company in question
0:35:28 > 0:35:31had 42 positive reviews from happy customers.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34It agreed, however, that the work was of a poor nature
0:35:34 > 0:35:38and reiterated that, following attempts to contact the company,
0:35:38 > 0:35:40it had been expelled from the site.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44So Brian has been left wondering
0:35:44 > 0:35:47if his trust in Checkatrade was misplaced.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51It's so hard. There's so many of these firms, like Checkatrade, about
0:35:51 > 0:35:54that recommend people, but who do we turn to
0:35:54 > 0:35:57to get trusted workmen to do a good, honest job?
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Well, now, that's a question we get asked a lot by viewers
0:36:02 > 0:36:05just like Brian, who say they chose a trader through a website
0:36:05 > 0:36:08that looks like it's recommending the best for the job,
0:36:08 > 0:36:10only for things to still go wrong.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16So have such sites always made the extensive checks you may think?
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Well, to find out, we once again called on our property surveyor,
0:36:20 > 0:36:24Roger Southam, asking him to visit Brian and his son.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26Hi, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30We wanted to explain how some of the best-known sites work
0:36:30 > 0:36:33and what a trader needs to do to be able to use their logos.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34Before he started,
0:36:34 > 0:36:38Roger couldn't resist taking a look at the work that kicked it all off.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42I've been up on the roof and had a look at the quality of the work
0:36:42 > 0:36:45that's been carried out and I've got to say, quite frankly,
0:36:45 > 0:36:47it is not of a great quality at all.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51So why did Brian come across the builder responsible
0:36:51 > 0:36:52on a site like Checkatrade?
0:36:54 > 0:36:58'For local, quality tradesmen, visit checkatrade.com today.'
0:36:59 > 0:37:02Well, Roger reckons the key thing to remember is that
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Checkatrade doesn't make constant checks on the people it lists.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Instead, it uses feedback from customers
0:37:09 > 0:37:13to determine whether a business should continue to be recommended.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Although it does say it interviews traders face-to-face and
0:37:16 > 0:37:19examines their credentials before including them in the first place.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26So, to get onto the site, there's been checks. Yeah.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29Once they're on, you're relying on the feedback from the public
0:37:29 > 0:37:30on the jobs that have been carried out.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35And Checkatrade does get lots and lots of that feedback.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Its site includes more than 2? million customer reviews
0:37:39 > 0:37:43and it tells us that it goes through up to 40% of those published
0:37:43 > 0:37:45every month in order to pick up on any problems.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50If there are any, it may investigate or even suspend members,
0:37:50 > 0:37:54as indeed happened in Brian's case. And while, as we have seen,
0:37:54 > 0:37:56there's no recourse that the site can help with,
0:37:56 > 0:38:00Checkatrade tells us it's now part partnered with Trading Standards
0:38:00 > 0:38:02to further support monitoring and vetting.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Among the various other sites offering a similar service
0:38:07 > 0:38:12are ones such as MyBuilder and Rated People, where they do require
0:38:12 > 0:38:16traders to supply references and have certain credentials.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19'If you're looking for a local builder you can trust,
0:38:19 > 0:38:21'you could stage a talent contest
0:38:21 > 0:38:25'or you could do it the easy way by going to MyBuilder.com.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28But again, once those checks are done,
0:38:28 > 0:38:32such sites mostly rely on reviews placed by customers.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36'RatedPeople.com, for quality, local tradesmen.'
0:38:36 > 0:38:40With Rated People, very similar to MyBuilder,
0:38:40 > 0:38:45where you put in the job you want carried out and then people will
0:38:45 > 0:38:48come up to you and say who's interested in doing the work.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52You're going to be looking at the reviews to assess whether
0:38:52 > 0:38:55the people are good, bad or indifferent - as far as you can -
0:38:55 > 0:38:57and then picking from that.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01The site MyBuilder told us that reviews can only be left
0:39:01 > 0:39:04by customers who've hired a tradesperson through the site
0:39:04 > 0:39:07and has stressed that it doesn't encourage people to
0:39:07 > 0:39:11believe that a successful project is guaranteed.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15And Rated People told us it invests a lot in vetting and screening
0:39:15 > 0:39:18and will suspend traders from its site if an investigation
0:39:18 > 0:39:23shows their work to be shoddy. It also said, although rarely used,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26it does offer a low-cost resolution service.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30Now, while each of these sites clearly has its merits,
0:39:30 > 0:39:32all of them are essentially
0:39:32 > 0:39:35based around customer reviews with a few extra checks.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38But there is another site that claims to have an extra edge.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42'Whether you need a builder, a decorator, a gardener
0:39:42 > 0:39:45'or even a new solar panel, TrustMark is here to introduce
0:39:45 > 0:39:49'customers to local quality firms and expert tradespeople.'
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Launched in 2005, TrustMark is
0:39:53 > 0:39:56the only site of this type endorsed by the government.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59In order to display its coveted logo, traders undergo
0:39:59 > 0:40:03not just a thorough vetting, but independent on-site inspections
0:40:03 > 0:40:06to regularly check their work and business practices.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10Now, TrustMark was a scheme similar to a Kitemark
0:40:10 > 0:40:14or similar to, um, some sort of approval body.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16So it's government-backed.
0:40:16 > 0:40:21There's checks being carried out on the firms and they're having to
0:40:21 > 0:40:24make sure they're up to scratch from that point of view.
0:40:24 > 0:40:28But some of the trade bodies it uses to check standards will only do so
0:40:28 > 0:40:31every three years, so if the standard of work drops
0:40:31 > 0:40:34between inspections, or the business gets into trouble,
0:40:34 > 0:40:38that information may not make it back to TrustMark straightaway.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40Unlike most of the other sites, however,
0:40:40 > 0:40:44if a TrustMark-registered trader gets the job wrong,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47customers will be helped through a dispute resolution process
0:40:47 > 0:40:52to try and sort it all out and all firms it recommends must offer
0:40:52 > 0:40:56deposit protection and warranties for work costing over ?500.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02Of course, none of these sites can ever ensure
0:41:02 > 0:41:04a building project that goes entirely to plan
0:41:04 > 0:41:08or that any trader will do a perfect job every time.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11So, rather than looking at any one of them in isolation,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Roger advises putting aside even just a bit of time
0:41:14 > 0:41:18to do proper research to get the fullest possible picture
0:41:18 > 0:41:21on any business that you're considering taking on.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25It's worth spending that extra 15 minutes, half an hour,
0:41:25 > 0:41:30doing the research in advance to save yourself at least ?1,000
0:41:30 > 0:41:33and the grief and the stress and the worry that you've had.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37As for Brian, next time he's looking for someone to do a job, he's likely
0:41:37 > 0:41:41to stick to a more simple way of finding the right person.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44It's still better to go on the old-fashioned way
0:41:44 > 0:41:48of the old recommendation from your neighbours and friends
0:41:48 > 0:41:50and trusted local workmen.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00If you have a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03then you can get in touch with us via our Facebook page -
0:42:03 > 0:42:04BBC Rip Off Britain.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10Our website is bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13Or you can e-mail us at...
0:42:15 > 0:42:19And, of course, you can always send us a letter to our postal address...
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Well, I don't know about you, but I have to say
0:42:33 > 0:42:36that I'm still reeling from that story that we saw earlier
0:42:36 > 0:42:39about the poor couple whose house literally fell down.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41Now, on this programme, we're used to hearing about
0:42:41 > 0:42:44disastrous building work, but never before have I heard
0:42:44 > 0:42:47of a house completely collapsing like that one. Just disastrous.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50It's so sad. And what makes it worse, of course,
0:42:50 > 0:42:53is that it really did seem they had done everything right
0:42:53 > 0:42:56in terms of getting references, checking insurance was in place.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58Every box ticked, you'd have thought,
0:42:58 > 0:43:00yet, after all that, things still went horribly wrong.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Well, thankfully, cases like that are indeed very rare and, of course,
0:43:03 > 0:43:06there are lots of things that you can do to give yourself
0:43:06 > 0:43:09the very best protection in case something does go wrong
0:43:09 > 0:43:12and, as ever, you will find lots more advice
0:43:12 > 0:43:14on subjects like that and others on our website...
0:43:17 > 0:43:20But, for now, thanks very much for joining us today
0:43:20 > 0:43:23and, from everyone on the team, bye-bye. Bye-bye! Goodbye.